Disney World Dining For Non-Planners: Best Easy Breakfast Reservations

If you’re a non-planner, dining reservations at Disney World might be a bit of a sore subject. We have good news! With tools like the Walk-Up Waitlist and 10-day dining search, many dining reservations are easier to get than they used to be. But breakfast can still be a bit of a sticky wicket, because only about 25% of restaurants even serve it and it’s often the shortest meal of the day. This article contains a rundown of the best Disney World breakfast reservations that are easy to get at the last minute.

What Does It Mean To Be “Easy to Get”?

Last-minute dining reservations do demand a little flexibility. You may need to take a table time that’s outside of peak meal hours, and if you have your heart set on a particular spot you might need to be flexible about the date. We searched parties of four for reservations same-day, 1-day, and 2-days out over two “typically busy” weeks in February.

If a restaurant is easy to reserve in August, that doesn’t mean you’re going to find it all the time during Spring Break. And a party of 10 won’t find as many tables as a party of 4. But everything is relative: for your party size and the time of your visit, the spots on this list should be some of the easiest places to find a table.

You know what’s not easy? Collecting all this reservation search data manually. Our fabulous research team prefers to work anonymously in the background, but I’m going to take a moment and give them a hand anyway. We couldn’t have written this without them.

Easy Disney World Breakfast Reservations

There are 22 restaurants currently available for breakfast reservations at Disney World. Between the limited supply, and the fact that breakfast is the shortest meal period at many restaurants, you’ll often find only a few times available even at spots that return a table time in every search. Each restaurant on this list is 1 credit on the 2024 Disney Dining Plan.

Breakfast with Characters

If you’re looking for breakfast with Mickey & Friends, you’re in luck! Four breakfasts featuring Mickey appeared in better than 75% of our last-minute searches. They’re listed below, along with their current (at time of writing) thumbs up rating from TouringPlans survey data. I’ve linked the menus below, but you should be aware that Disney’s buffet menus are notoriously incomplete. They’ll give you an idea, but that’s about it.

⭐ Chef Mickey’s: We only found Chef Mickey’s about 77% of the time, and it only has an 84% 👍 survey rating. But don’t let that fool you. Unfortunately, we don’t distinguish between breakfast and dinner on our surveys, and Chef Mickey’s breakfast is well known to be significantly better than its evening meal. This buffet meal will run you $54/adult and $34/child, not including tax and tip. See the menu here.

⭐ The Garden Grill: We found a table at Chip & Dale’s Harvest Feast Breakfast about 85% of the time, which is impressive given that it’s only served for about 2 hours a day before the restaurant turns over to lunch. This rotating restaurant gets a 90% 👍 on surveys, but my family enjoys the cinnamon rolls and the cheesy breakfast casserole. If you’re looking to sit down after a couple of hard hours spent rope-dropping EPCOT, breakfast at the Garden Grill is $47/adult and $30/child, not including tax and tip. See the menu here.

⭐ Cape May Cafe: You’ll meet Mickey & friends in their beach bash finest at this Beach Club buffet. This is one of my family’s personal favorites for character breakfasts. There’s an omelet station in addition to the well-stocked buffet. We found Cape May’s breakfast about 85% of the time, and TouringPlans survey-takers agree with my family; the restaurant has a 91% 👍. That’s even better than it looks; like Chef Mickey’s the breakfast here is often considered better than the dinner. Cape May Cafe’s breakfast is $47/adult and $30/child, not including tax and tip. See the menu here.

⭐ Tusker House: We found this Mickey & Friends breakfast almost 90% of the time. The official name is “Donald’s Safari Breakfast”, so you will probably not be surprised to find the characters dressed in their safari gear. This is your only option for a sit-down breakfast in Animal Kingdom Park, and Tusker House rates a 91% 👍. The check will be $47/adult and $30/child, not including tax and tip. See the menu here.

⭐Hollywood & Vine: This Disney Junior Play & Dine buffet was by far the most available character breakfast we found. It came back every single time we searched. Nothing about this breakfast is going to really wow you, and Hollywood & Vine scores an 88% 👍 in our surveys.  The check will be $47/adult and $30/child, not including tax and tip. See the menu here.

Other Breakfast Options

On the Monorail

No matter which monorail resort you’re staying at, either of these restaurants is just a stop or two away. And that goes for the Magic Kingdom too. If you’ve rope dropped on a day when the Magic Kingdom opens earlier than usual, you may be able to grab a last-minute breakfast table while waiting for the park to open and then head out for a well-deserved break just as the crowds start to really heat up.

⭐ Kona Cafe: We found this spot at the Polynesian in 34 of 35 searches, and usually with at least 10 table times available. The most expensive entree is the Breakfast Platter (think Lumberjack Special) at $22, but most plates are between $16 an $18. Opinions on the Tonga Toast are divided, but Macadamia Nut Pancakes are well-regarded as is the Loco Moco. Kona gets a 90% 👍 in surveys, and you can see the menu here.

⭐ Grand Floridian Cafe: As you might guess from the name, you’ll find this restaurant at the Grand Floridian. What you might not guess from the name is that breakfast and lunch are actually the same meal at the Grand Floridian Cafe (they call it B’Lunch). That means you can get the Eggs Benedict all the way through to 2 pm, or choose a Miso-Glazed Salmon bright and early at 7:30 am. And, you can get dessert with your breakfast. Entrees cover a wide range from $16 to $29, with most falling somewhere in the middle. We found The Grand Floridian Cafe in every search, and it gets a 👍 on surveys 88% of the time. You can see the menu here.

At Crescent Lake

In addition to the resorts that are actually on Crescent Lake, the restaurants are convenient to those staying anywhere on the Skyliner. If you’re at the Riviera, Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, or Pop Century, that means you. In total, 10 different resorts have easy access to the two breakfasts below.

⭐ Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club offers a breakfast buffet of pastries, fruit, yogurt, granola, biscuits etc., and you need to know how this works. Entrees (which include Chocolate Waffles) range from $16-20, but the buffet is $23 and includes your selected entree plus coffee, tea, juice, or a soft drink. Depending on your choice of beverage and entree, you may find that the buffet is practically free. Ale & Compass gets an 89% 👍 on TouringPlans surveys, and we found it in 100% of our searches. My personal experience is that the breakfast won’t knock your socks off but it’s all very tasty and satisfying. You can see the menu here.

⭐ Trattoria al Forno: At one time, there was a high-demand character breakfast at Trattoria al Forno, and someday it may return. But it’s not there now, and we found table times in every search. Plates range from $15 to a max of $21 for the Oak-Grilled Steak & Eggs, and the quality is generally regarded as excellent.  Trattoria al Forno rates a 92% 👍 on surveys and you can see the menu here.

Other Resorts

These breakfasts are all at resorts that don’t have direct transportation from any other resort. But if you’re willing to hack it with rideshare, or if you brought a car, they’re worth the drive. All of these restaurants returned at least 10 table times in each of our searches.

⭐ Whispering Canyon Cafe: If you’re staying at a monorail resort, transportation to Whispering Canyon Cafe is a little simpler, as you can monorail to the Magic Kingdom and then take the boat. Plates are mostly $15-18, or you can choose one of the rightly-famous all-you-care-to-enjoy skillets. Like the Grand Floridian Cafe, Whispering Canyon’s breakfast and lunch menus are the same, so you’ll have a choice of breakfast-y or lunch-y food whether you visit earlier in the day or earlier in the afternoon. The atmosphere at Whispering Canyon is also … special: Review: Whispering Canyon Cafe’s Filling and Fun Breakfast (And Lunch). Whispering Canyon Cafe receives a 👍 89% of the time, and you can see the menu here.

⭐ Olivia’s is widely regarded as a sleeper pick among Disney World restaurants, and people have been saying that for at least a decade. It will likely remain an easy table to score, thanks to its location at Old Key West Resort. Technically the meal you’ll see at Olivia’s is brunch. But since they serve it every day, during the breakfast period, we’re going with it. Plates average $15-19, and the Banana Bread French Toast and Crab Cake Benedict are generally highly regarded. Olivia’s scores an 89% 👍 on surveys, and you can see the menu here.

⭐ Boma has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best buffets – if not the best buffet – on Disney property, scoring a stellar 95% 👍 with survey-takers. You’ll find food for adventurous and picky palates alike, and since you’ll be at Animal Kingdom Lodge anyway we recommend leaving some extra time around your meal to take advantage of the Lodge’s savanna overlook. Boma’s breakfast is $37/adult and $22/child, not including tax and tip. You can see the menu here.

Do you make your breakfast reservations after you arrive on vacation? What’s your favorite place to score a seat? Let us know in the comments!